This Week in History! - April 9, 1865
Beginning in 1861, the American Civil War is widely regarded as one of the most influential conflicts in North America’s history. It saw the secession of many regions in the southern United States as a result of numerous factors, chief among them the issue of slavery. The rebellious areas formed the Confederate States of America (CSA), an unrecognized breakaway republic whose legacy largely remains one of racism and white supremacy. Lasting for roughly 4 years, the war claimed the lives of as many as 620 000 to 750 000, making it the deadliest for American military history. It marked one of the earliest instances of industrial warfare, and many today see its combat as a precursor to the devastation of the First World War. Today in history, on April 9, 1965, the American Civil War effectively ended, eventually uniting the country as one again.
Background
It is widely accepted that the conflict came to be as a result of the ongoing disputes at the time regarding slavery. Generally, more northern states such as New York or Pennsylvania tended to be against it, while their southern counterparts like Florida and Texas supported it. This led to an increasing division among neighbours that put them into two camps: free states and slave states.
During the early 19th century, the US gained an immense amount of land through purchase and conquest. These new territories would develop into a source of tension for the nation, as they would also be pushed into making a decision on whether to permit slavery or not. More and more would join the two opposing groups, until there were eventually 19 free states and 15 slave states by mid-1861. This tug-of-war that aimed to establish a balance between the two was one of the main contributors to the extreme polarization of the country’s political climate. Other factors like this would combine to create a sense of animosity between those that were for slavery and those that stood against it.
Abraham Lincoln’s victory in the 1860 election proved to be the trigger that caused the war to start. Slave states believed that, should Lincoln be elected, he was likely to attempt to outlaw slavery. In order to continue the practice, they seceded. On April 12, 1861, Confederate forces began shelling Fort Sumter, while various slave states left the Union to join them.
Industrial Warfare
The Civil War became one of the earliest examples of a concept known as industrial warfare. Through technological advancements and industrialization, nations were able to equip their armies with increasingly effective equipment, such as firearms which were able to discharge more and more quickly or ironclad ships. Many commanders, however, still made use of outdated tactics that only served to sacrifice more soldiers than were necessary. Longer range and higher firepower rendered long-used frontal charges almost useless, and overwhelming enemy lines, which worked against slow-firing weapons like muskets, was no longer as feasible of an option. This phenomenon, of technology developing more quickly than tactics, was also visible in WW1 and was a large reason that both wars were so deadly to all that endured them.
The conflict also saw an early example of what could be called total war. Essentially, this theory designates civilian industries and tools such as railroads and infrastructure as military targets, and deems their destruction a vital step to success. William Tecumseh Sherman led a campaign against the CSA where his forces targeted not only enemy soldiers, but also civilian property, industry and infrastructure. This helped cripple the Confederacy’s logistical capabilities and was a large contributor to the end of the war. Though Sherman generally did not attack those who did not fight back, his campaign is largely seen as foreshadowing how civilians would ultimately become targets equal to the military in many coming conflicts.
The War’s End
As years passed, it became clear that the Union would win the war. Attacks like Sherman’s had left the CSA’s economy and ability to support itself devastated, and the North had effectively split it in two by occupying the Mississippi river. Though the war would legally continue until 1866 when President Andrew Johnson would proclaim its end, major fighting would begin stopping from April 9th, 1865. This was the date when Robert E. Lee, a Confederate general, surrendered his Army of Northern Virginia.
This army was the CSA’s largest, and was consistently a thorn in the Union’s side. It operated in the eastern theatre of the war, relatively close to the capitals of both sides (Washington, D.C. and Richmond, Virginia). Though the Union saw mostly steady progress in the west, the Army of Northern Virginia stopped this from happening in the east. Many campaigns that the two sides fought against one another were inconclusive, as the South lacked the resources to exploit many openings and the North suffered from often ineffective commanders.
In 1864, the CSA’s comparative lack of soldiers and materiel became clear during the USA’s costly offensives in the Overland Campaign. These were a series of battles which each took the lives of thousands. Though the North took heavier casualties, they were better able to replace their losses than the South and the latter eventually had to fall back. As a result of this, the Union was able to begin attacking the city of Petersburg. Their victory in taking it allowed them to continue on to the Confederate capital of Richmond, dealing the CSA a severe blow.
In the resulting Appomattox campaign, the Union’s Army of the Potomac relentlessly pursued the Army of Northern Virginia. Ultimately, Confederate forces were left out of supplies and effectively cornered. Seeing no other choice, Lee surrendered the army to General Ulysses S. Grant on April 9, near the Appomattox Court House. This would prove to be the beginning of a chain of Confederate surrenders that would eventually bring all fighting to a close. With the South’s strongest army unable to resist any longer, the CSA collapsed and the war came to an end. While there is no definitive point that can be stated with certainty to be the conflict’s final day, many believe it to be today, April 9th.
As the war ended and the Union rose victorious, a period of time known as the Reconstruction Era began. As the nation recovered and worked to reintegrate the South, progress was made in terms of civil rights that allowed many people of colour to be considered full citizens. This was only the beginning, however, and much needed to still be done.
The magnitude of these events would radically alter the future, both in North America and abroad. Shadows of the debates taking place then still influence politics today, and systemic racism is a significant issue in the U.S. and other countries. The Union victory allowed the United States to preserve its existence and created significant progress towards equality, but the journey is still ongoing. Today serves as an opportunity to recall all that has been accomplished, and recognize all that still must be done to work towards an equitable society.
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